She had an excellent garden well stored with choice and rare shrubs, plants and fruits. In benevolence, she was not exceeded by her husband, for it was by her will that the N. H. Medical Society realized a legacy of 500 dollars. She died on the 18th of May, 1805, aged 70 years. To perpetuate in the N. H. Medical Society's Library, the name of its founder, it was resolved by the society, that the name of BRACKETT shall be marked in golden letters on the covers of all the books that were presented by him, or purchased by Mrs. Brackett's legacy, in manner and form as underwritten BRACKETT TO THE N. H. MED. SOC. Account of the Massacre of Jonathan Bradley and others, at Rumford, [now Concord,] by a party of Indians, in 1746. { From a manuscript History of Concord, prepared by one of the editors of these Collections.] The opening of the French war in 1744, caused a general anxiety throughout the colonies, and particularly on the frontiers most exposed to Indian depredations. Gov. Wentworth, in his message to the general assembly of the province, in May of this year, exhorts them "to consider with great tenderness the distress the inhabitants on the frontiers are in at this juncture, and to make their unhappy situation their own: to consider them as every day exposed to a surprize from the enemy," and stating that if provisions for their safety was neglected, they would "become an easy prey to a cruel and barbarous enemy." Measures were accordingly taken for the safety of those towns most exposed, and small detachments were ordered to the aid of the settlements at Canterbury and Contoocook, [now Boscawen.] The inhabitants of Rumford were as yet without military succor, and they empowered Benjamin Rolfe, Esqr. to petition the legislature of New-Hampshire "for such a number of soldiers as might be sufficient, with the divine blessing, to defend them against all attempts of their enemies." His petition was presented in June of of that year, but no detachment was ordered out. In December, the inhabitants again authorized Mr. Rolfe to petition the general assembly of this province for aid; and also "to represent to his Excellency the Governor and General Court of the province of the Massachu setts Bay, their deplorable circumstances, being exposed to imminent danger both from the French and Indian enemy, and to request of them such aids as to their great wisdom should seem meet, and which might be sufficient to enable them with a divine blessing vigorously to repel all attempts of their enemies." Like petitions were also presented in 1745, and a detachment of men was stationed here from Billerica, for a few weeks, by direction of the government of Massachusetts. On Friday the 7th of August, 1746, a party of Indians from Canada, to the number of about one hundred came into this town, and meditated the destruction of the place on the Sabbath following. The inhabitants had for some time been expecting an attack, and had made an earnest application to the Governor for military aid-and fortunately Capt. Daniel Ladd, with a company of forty men from Excter, arrived in town the same day. There had previously been a company stationed here from Billerica for a short time, and also one from Andover. The inhabitants were aware that a considerable body of Indians was in the vicinity, but had as yet discovered but a few who were out on Scouts. The Indians themselves, hearing of Capt. Ladd's approach, determined to lie concealed until Sunday following, when they intended to massacre the people assembled in the meeting-house. But the people on Sunday took the precaution to go armed to their devotions, and placed sentinels in different quarters to look out for the approach of the Indians. They had the night previous secreted themselves in the bushes adjacent to the meeting-house, which stood nearly on the spot now occupied by the dwelling of Mr. John West. One party of them was concealed in a thicket of alders then growing where Dr. Green's house now stands, another was hid in the bushes on the north, between the meeting-house and Capt. Emery's near the prison. Some few of them were seen by a little girl during the exercises, but she did not make known the discovery until the meeting closed, when the people marched out in a body; and the Indians observing their arms, concluded to abandon the attack. They then retired to the woods on the west towards Hopkinton, with the design to intercept Capt. Ladd and his men, who they supposed were to pass that way on the following morning. On Monday, the 11th, several of the inhabitants sat out for Hopkinton, two on horse back, the others on foot, all armed, but not in the least apprehending an attack. They marched on leisurely, and Obadiah Peters, one of the party on foot, proceeded some distance forward of the others into. a hollow about one and an half miles from Concord, sat down his gun, and there waited the approach of the others. The Indians, thinking themselves discovered, rose from their hiding places, fired and killed Peters on the spot. At this moment, the rest of the party, with Jonathan Bradley at their Lead, came over the hill, and seeing the fate of their comrade and their own peril, Bradley cried out, "Fire, and follow on!" and they rushed down among them. But the savages were too strong for them, being twelve to one, Samuel Bradley was shot down in the road. To Jonathan they offered quarter, having been acquainted with him; but he refused, his heroic spirit thirsting to avenge the death of his comrades.They then dispatched him with their tomahawks. Two others, John Bean and John Luffkin were fired upon, ran four or five rods, fell and expired. The others fortunately escaped death, were made prisoners and carried to Canada. Their names were Daniel Gilman, Alexander Roberts and Willian Stickney. Immediately after the melancholy affair took place, an alarm was given from Mr. Walker's garrison to the people who were at work on the interval and elsewhere at some little distance. They soon assembled and cousulted on measures of safety. Mr. Reuben Abbott, lately deceased, at a very advanced age, and from whom many particulars co cerning this affair have been collected, was fixed upon to bring away the bodies of his slaughtered townsmen. He accordingly took an ox-cart from the fort, and brought away the bodies of the five men, which were buried in the churchyard, on the following day. The number killed of the Indians was unknown to the inhabitants until some time after, when the information was brought by Roberts who had made his escape from Canada. From him, it was ascertain ed that four were killed, and several wounded, two mortally who were conveyed away on litters, and soon after died. Two they buried in what is called the Great Swamp, under large hemlock logs, and two others in the mud some distance up the river, where their bones were afterwards found, Stickney also escaped from captivity with Roberts, but in crossing a stream on his return was accidentally drowned. Roberts, soon after his return, claimed a bounty from government, having killed one of the Indians at the time of the attack, the bones of whom he afterwards found. The General Assembly, on the 19th of November, 1747, passed the following resolution, which was approved by the Governor "Whereas Alexander Roberts and others have been care fully examined upon oath of and concerning a human skullbone, which said Roberts and company found at or near the place where said Roberts supposes he killed an Indian man, and where he saw said Indian buried; and inasmuch as it appears to the House, upon the evidence produced, that the said skull is really the skull of the aforesaid Indian: Therefore, "Voted, that there be paid out of the money in the public treasury, unto the said Alexander Roberts and company,the sum of seventy-five pounds, in the following proportions,viz. To the said Alexander Roberts, 151.; to Daniel Gilman, 71. 10s.; to the widows of Jonathan and Samuel Bradley, each 11. 5s.; and to the heirs or legal representatives of Obadiah Peters, John Luffkin, John Bean and William Stickney, each 71. 10s." Jonathan Bradley was an officer in Capt. Ladd's company and was about 30 years of age when he was massacred. He was a relative of Samuel Bradley, and is represented to have been a brave and intrepid man. Samuel Bradley was the father of the venerable John Bradley, who died in this town in 1815. He was a most amiable and promising young man; and his wife, who was afterwards married with Richard Calfe, Esq. of Chester, and survived both, in the latter years of her life, used to speak with great affection of the husband of her youth and of his tragical end. She died August 10, 1817, aged 98 years. Obadiah Peters, it appears, was at the time of his death a soldier in the company commanded by Capt. Nathaniel Abbot of this town. He had also been out in the expedition, and was at the capture of Cape Breton in 1745. Little is known of Bean and Luffkin, or of the others who were engaged in the conflict. 1 The initials of those who fell were soon after marked on a large tree standing near the fatal spot, which stood as the only monument until within a few years, when some person cut it down. We are however pleased to learn that the descendants of Samuel Bradley are about to erect a monument over the spot where their worthy ancestor was killed. The sword with which Col. B. Church dispatched the renowned Indian warrior, Philip, in 1675, after he was wounded by one of the natives friendly to the English, has, we understand, lately been presented to the Massachusetts Historical Society, by a descendant of Col. Church. 25 Poetry, Anecdotes, &c. FOR THE LITERARY JOURNAL. LINES, WRITTEN AT AN HOUR OF MIDNIGHT, IN DECEMBER. › "TIS midnight o'er the drear expanse, And nature silent sinks in sleep, In silence for her foes to weep- Nor yet forget her early home The home of penitence and tears. 'Tis midnight! all around is still; My thoughts-do they aspire to heaven? In life and death, at morn or even. Enlist my passions to thy power. C. Following virtue is like ascending a steep: following vice, like rushing down a precipice. Chinese Proverb. 4 |